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        Supporter's Corner >> Supporter's Corner >> What a Day!
        
(Message started by: jillybean on Jan 6^th, 2005, 11:08pm)

Title: What a Day!
Post by jillybean on Jan 6^th, 2005, 11:08pm

Yesterday, my hubby got his spinal tap finally. Well, of course it didn't go well. We were supposed to be there for an hour and a half. 4.5 hrs later we left. Takes an hour or so to get home.

He was very hungry as he could not eat all day before. My 17 yr old offered to make a sandwich. The next thing I know- he is in the middle of the staircase calling for help. Until he could no longer speak.

Now we had always thought his headaches were really bad. This was so off that chart!

The boys were so scared. We got him in the car and I headed to the ER.

The hospital says the hole didn't seal. That's the theory anyway. It could just be a bad hit.

The doc got ready to do the blood patch and hubby chickened out. He is needle phobic and the memory was too fresh. Also, the doc was worried he couldn't stay still. He said, "I will be sticking a verrryyy long needle up your spinal column." My son and I rolled our eyes. I told him you're making it worse! So we are trying the 'conservative ' approach.

The neuro wants the results before he prescribes prednisone or oxygen. It could be 2 wks!

I stayed home from work to watch him. I didn't want to leave him alone. He is very dependent on me right now. He feels I am his life-line, I think.

About 7pm, it started intensifying again. He does want me there. I held him very tight and massaged his head and neck.

I felt involuntary small muscle or skin twiches. Has anyone else noticed this? Is it normal for a ch hit? He finally settled down, at least for the time being.

I really don't know exactly what is going on. I do know that the fight has been beat out of me these last couple of days. I am soooooooooo tired of this medical merry-go-round.

Jill

Title: Re: What a Day!
Post by Ree on Jan 8^th, 2005, 2:20pm

Ok Jilly... I had meningitis and a spinal tap...What were they checking him for... The doc should also be reported My spinal tap didnt even hurt but the anticipation would have been horrendous if he had said "I am sticking a very long needle in your spinal column"... What happens in alot of ER's is people come in and say they have Migraine or Cluster in order to get meds and narcotics. So it seems to me the doc was trying to see if your hubby was looking to find out if he was for real or not. Another thing it doesn't take 2 weeks to get results of a spinal tap. I had my results immediately that there was meningitis... 24 hours to see if it was bacterial (it wasn't) thank God... Is that what they were checking him for?... email me privately if you want... ree16angel@aol.com

Title: Re: What a Day!
Post by jillybean on Jan 9^th, 2005, 9:05pm

More drama...

First, thanks for the good wishes. The ER doc actually recommended the blood patch. It was the anesthiesiologist who was worried Wallace could not be still due to his pain and thrashing, vomiting.

Wallace had viral menengitis in the early '90s. Actually, I don't believe he ever had a mild headache before that. The doctor was checking for Intra Cranial Hypertension (he didn't have enough fluid, so that can't be it!) and menengitis, and the lab said some things would be grown in a petrie dish.

Friday, neuro called and the sample had quite a bit of blood in it. They feared an aneurism (sp?) and did an emergency angiogram. Thank goodness, at least we know that wasn't it.

So- we're back to the cluster diagnosis. The hospital neuro wanted to dope him up and I asked about oxygen and prednesone as I have researched here. The didn't want to give the rebreather mask other than in ER. (different hospital...) So he had the nose set up. We just got home. I stayed with him to get him promptly attended.

We are also referred to a pain management doc after the prednesone taper. If it doesn't work, that is.

She wants to give him injections in the base of the head/ neck. Occidental neuralgia?

Anyway, sorry to whine. It just all so frustrating.

Jill

Title: Re: What a Day!
Post by nani on Jan 9^th, 2005, 10:33pm

I'm so sorry you're all going through so much, Jill. [smiley=hug.gif] Hopefully it will all be worked out soon and your husband can get some relief. PF wishes...